USI softball team hopes added speed, consistent hitting get Eagles back to winning

A speedier group of players, with more consistent hitting up and down the batting order, is what coach Sue Kunkle expects of her 2013 University of Southern Indiana softball team.

But whether or not that will translate into a berth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament she's not sure yet.

The GLVC's East Division, which USI is a part of, is always tough.

"We had four (East Division teams) who made it into the GLVC Tournament and a couple who went to the NCAA Tournament," said Kunkle, whose team was picked by the league's coaches this spring to finish fifth in the East — which includes seventh-ranked Saint Joseph's and No. 15 Indianapolis. "But it's not where you start; it's where you finish."

The Eagles finished poorly last season. They lost eight straight games at one point and three of their last four to post a 27-21 record, 16-16 in the conference, while failing to make the GLVC tourney.

"We've added a lot of speed to our team this year," said Kunkle. "We also have a lot of kids with a lot of innings. It's kind of the same team, but a little more confident this year."

"I just said to her the other day, ‘You look like a completely different pitcher,' " said Kunkle. "She's more lean; she's stronger; she spent a lot of time this fall and winter making the break on her pitches a lot stronger."

In addition to Jankowski and Bittner's pitching, the Eagles have added freshman Sarah Owens, a right-hander from Indianapolis.

As for hitting, USI could start as many as five left-handed batters. Kunkle said the team also will have power despite the graduation of Kristin O'Haver and her eight homers, 29 RBIs, .356 batting average and .661 slugging percentage.

"I think we could hit quite a few long balls," said the coach, "but the main thing we will be is a more scrappy, hit-the-ball-up-the-middle kind of team.

"We should see a little more consistency from top to bottom. We're kind of quick and scrappy at the top and the bottom (of the lineup) and in the middle we have our power. I feel pretty confident."

USI opens its season on Friday at the University of Alabama-Huntsville's three-day Charger Chillout, where it will play six games this weekend.

"I don't want to go down there and not get wins," said Kunkle. "We're gunning for as many wins as we can get. But I want (USI's players) to come back with a feeling that we're in a good place right now so when the GLVC season starts we're ready to go."